Problem-Need Advice ASAP

[BandSpouse 7]

My wife had lap band surgery in June. She has lost 70+ pounds as of Sep 8. For the last 2 weeks she has not been able to keep anything down except liquids. She had a esophagram last week. The barium was not able to pass through the band except for a few drops. The doctor conducting the test said he thought the band was too tight. She told them she has not had a fill done yet. This is true. She hasn't had even one fill. The band has not slipped. Her surgeon said that perhaps the band is too small for her stomach, however he wants her to wait a month to see if the band will loosen as she loses more weight. I don't think she can't wait that long. If band was going to loosen as she lost weight wouldn't her situation be improving? She has lost 70 pounds already. I am concerned that her surgeon is looking out for his best interest over my wife's. Of course she doesn't want to do the surgery again to replace the smaller band with a larger band, but that is the only option her dr has proposed if her situation doesn't improve. Please share your advice if any have had similar experience.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

go back to the lap band doctor and have them look at your wife TODAY

not being able to swallow anything but liquids is dangerous and not how the lap band works (fill or no fills)

do not take no or nothing wrong as the answer as obviously something is.

[NaNa 878]

My wife had lap band surgery in June. She has lost 70+ pounds as of Sep 8. For the last 2 weeks she has not been able to keep anything down except liquids. She had a esophagram last week. The barium was not able to pass through the band except for a few drops. The doctor conducting the test said he thought the band was too tight. She told them she has not had a fill done yet. This is true. She hasn't had even one fill. The band has not slipped. Her surgeon said that perhaps the band is too small for her stomach, however he wants her to wait a month to see if the band will loosen as she loses more weight. I don't think she can't wait that long. If band was going to loosen as she lost weight wouldn't her situation be improving? She has lost 70 pounds already. I am concerned that her surgeon is looking out for his best interest over my wife's. Of course she doesn't want to do the surgery again to replace the smaller band with a larger band, but that is the only option her dr has proposed if her situation doesn't improve. Please share your advice if any have had similar experience.

You and your wife have valid concerns and something needs to be done ASAP. Of course your surgeon can list your wife as a huge success in his books, but your wife's weight lost is not healthy and is very dangerous as she can eventually end up with Vitamin deficiencies from starvation and other complications.

She has lost weight very rapidly, and it is not in a good way, she is probably vomiting all her meals.

There are many people get the band either too small or too large for their anatomies, usually surgeons are good at identifying which band should fit the patients stomach during surgery, and they usually have the small and large band available to fit the patient based on the stomach size when they get in there.

I've seen MANY over the years suffer from horrible band slippage, frequent vomiting, food intolerance and esophageal damage due to bands too small, and all ended up getting the band removed.

If she can get it removed immediately and replaced with a larger band, she can probably prevent any further damage to her body.

I would personally find another surgeon to remove the band, and get an attorney, and if your wife wants to get another band placed 'correctly' in the future, she probably will have better banded life than she does now.

Ideally a well fitted lap band should allow lots of wiggle room with an empty band, most patients have NO restriction with an empty band and it feel like there is no band, that is how it should be ideally, and with a band that is optimally filled, it should take about 3-7 fills to fill optimally.

When someone gets fully restricted on very little saline, this means their band is almost too small and if anything happens, they are likely to suffer complications too.

Good luck

[GoingforGoal 1,734]

I call bullshit. Call your surgeon and say, no let's not wait a month. You are absolutely right, if she's lost 70 lbs in a mere 3 months and is only sustaining herself through liquids than she is setting herself up for some severe complications. 70 lbs is a sufficient test for the band to losen, it didn't. Is she able to get at least Protein shakes down?

This is precisely the kind of crap you don't gamble with. Next thing you know she'll be so dehyrated and depleted you'll see her in cardiac arrest or kidney failure.

Sounds like doc got it wrong and it's time for him to repair the damage done!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I agree with the ladies above me. She doesn't have a month to wait, this has to be taken care of immediately. You can't take that big of a gamble with her health. I would find another bariatric surgeon immediately because it's clear her current surgeon doesn't have her best interest at heart.

May I ask where she had her surgery and what size band she has?

[donna450 130]

My wife had lap band surgery in June. She has lost 70+ pounds as of Sep 8. For the last 2 weeks she has not been able to keep anything down except liquids. She had a esophagram last week. The barium was not able to pass through the band except for a few drops. The doctor conducting the test said he thought the band was too tight. She told them she has not had a fill done yet. This is true. She hasn't had even one fill. The band has not slipped. Her surgeon said that perhaps the band is too small for her stomach' date=' however he wants her to wait a month to see if the band will loosen as she loses more weight. I don't think she can't wait that long. If band was going to loosen as she lost weight wouldn't her situation be improving? She has lost 70 pounds already. I am concerned that her surgeon is looking out for his best interest over my wife's. Of course she doesn't want to do the surgery again to replace the smaller band with a larger band, but that is the only option her dr has proposed if her situation doesn't improve. Please share your advice if any have had similar experience.[/quote']

If it's between life and weight she needs to get well first before something worse happens. She can always get the banding again. But this is life threatening she should think of it that way. What does the lapband dr say. Or was it a lapband dr that said wait? This is only my opinion but this is scary stuff. Don't let her become a satistic. God Bless and prayers coming your way...let us know how she is doing.

[Debbie3sons 1,936]

Please let us know what happens and I am glad you are their to get and be her support so now call her Band doctor and her pcp and make something happen before their are more complications.

[kll724 3,055]

I agree with everyone. You need to get her butt to her Band surgeon's office ASAP. Don't wait for a week, go tomorrow,(unless its not to late today)! THIS IS LIFE THREATENING if she can't eat or drink. Best wishes. As stated by others 70 lbs since June is way too much. Karen

[BandSpouse 7]

I just spoke to the Lap Band Surgeon. He is now suggesting to put her on an IV and wait for at least a week or two. He thinks her stomach is inflamed from all the regurgitating. That seems logical. He told me he once was on an IV for 6 months. That seems strange that a surgeon would be on an IV for that long. Just saying! I didn't question him on that point. He is offering to redo the surgery and either remove the band or put a larger size band around her stomach. My wife encouraging my wife to make an appointment with a different surgeon to get a second opinion. He claims there are on 2 sizes of bands and my wife currently has the smaller band. Thanks to everyone for your advice. I read her your comments which has her and I both taking this situation very seriously.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I just spoke to the Lap Band Surgeon. He is now suggesting to put her on an IV and wait for at least a week or two. He thinks her stomach is inflamed from all the regurgitating. That seems logical. He told me he once was on an IV for 6 months. That seems strange that a surgeon would be on an IV for that long. Just saying! I didn't question him on that point. He is offering to redo the surgery and either remove the band or put a larger size band around her stomach. My wife encouraging my wife to make an appointment with a different surgeon to get a second opinion. He claims there are on 2 sizes of bands and my wife currently has the smaller band. Thanks to everyone for your advice. I read her your comments which has her and I both taking this situation very seriously.

Forgive my bluntness, but I really think you need a new surgeon ASAP. The one your wife is going to sounds like a total quack. No one goes on IV's for months with the Lap Band!! If you are dehydrated to the point of needing an IV you need the band unfilled immediately. Being as she has nothing to unfill, then other measures must be taken. Saying it's due to stomach swelling is also crap- she had surgery in June. Any swelling from surgery is long since gone months ago.

If I were in your wife's shoes, not only would be finding a new surgeon immediately but I wouldn't let her current one touch me with a tissue let alone a scalpel. No way in heck I'd let him do surgery on me again.

Again, just sharing my opinion based on my experience and knowledge of the band.

I will definitely keep your wife in my prayers.

[NaNa 878]

I just spoke to the Lap Band Surgeon. He is now suggesting to put her on an IV and wait for at least a week or two. He thinks her stomach is inflamed from all the regurgitating. That seems logical. He told me he once was on an IV for 6 months. That seems strange that a surgeon would be on an IV for that long. Just saying! I didn't question him on that point. He is offering to redo the surgery and either remove the band or put a larger size band around her stomach. My wife encouraging my wife to make an appointment with a different surgeon to get a second opinion. He claims there are on 2 sizes of bands and my wife currently has the smaller band. Thanks to everyone for your advice. I read her your comments which has her and I both taking this situation very seriously.

Can you tell us who installed your wife's band? This is wrong and dangerous on all levels.

Honestly, I think you have a lawsuit, it would be in your best interest to NOT allow this surgeon to not touch your wife any longer and get to a new band surgeon, ASAP, most US surgeons will take her, especially if there is a surgeon that has done wrong doing and your wife's surgeon does not sound ethical.

The RED FLAG IS...being on an IV (feeding tube) for 6 months, no reputable lap band surgeon would put a patient through this with a ADJUSTABLE OR REMOVABLE lap band, this only happens to Gastric Bypass or Sleeve folks when they don't have a choice.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

I would say get a second opinion however if she has been vomiting a lot it will cause her stoma to swell a lot and therefore she will not be able to swallow.

[NaNa 878]

I would say get a second opinion however if she has been vomiting a lot it will cause her stoma to swell a lot and therefore she will not be able to swallow.

Not only a second opinion but a lawyer too.

Also, she should not be vomiting THAT MUCH on an empty band to cause obstruction and swelling.

Many people think it's quite normal to vomit daily with the band, until it almost kills them and then they come back bitter and say how horrible the lap band is and everyone will suffer the same fate.

[cheryl2586 3,053]

Not only a second opinion but a lawyer too.

Also, she should not be vomiting THAT MUCH on an empty band to cause obstruction and swelling.

Many people think it's quite normal to vomit daily with the band, until it almost kills them and then they come back bitter and say how horrible the lap band is and everyone will suffer the same fate.

I agree vomiting is never normal with the band. Some people think its a part of everyday life but its not. Some people refuse to educate themselves about their bands or for some reason do not want to talk to their doctors. I have yet to see what the fear of talking to your doctor is.

[SIJoe 111]

My opinion - your wife has her plate full. The last thing she needs to get herself involved with is the legal system - for now. Let her get another surgeon, another opinion. She needs to get better, and have more information without the possible added stress of a lawyer. There is a time for everything. And, if her surgeon was negligent or incompetent, then go after him.